Bangkok, Thailand – The ASEAN-Korea Centre (Secretary General Lee Hyuk), the Board of Investment (BOI) of Thailand, and the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA) will jointly organize an Investment and Market Research Mission to Bangkok, Thailand from 4 to 6 September. The Korean delegation, composed of 12 firms in the industrial robotics and automation sector, will take part in the ‘Thailand-Korea Investment Promotion Seminar on Robotics & Automation’, an industrial visit to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and local companies, one-on-one business meetings with Thai government officials and business representatives, as well as a networking dinner with Korean companies in Thailand.

Lee Hyuk, Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre noted that, “With the aim to embrace Industry 4.0 and escape the middle-income trap, ‘Thailand 4.0’ – a long-term national initiative of the Thai government – was announced and is transforming the Thai economy into a value-based one by adopting ICT technology in a wide range of areas. Among many other digital technologies, robotics has been selected as one of the 10 future industries in which the Thai government strives to bring foreign investment by providing various incentives such as corporate tax exemptions. The robotics industry of Korea boasts global competitiveness in terms of smart processing, level of utilization, and industrial automation. Most Korean firms in this sector are eager to expand their footholds into new promising markets such as Thailand. Against this backdrop, the program is expected to meet the demands of both ASEAN to attract foreign investments in its robotics industry and Korea to expand to foreign markets, thereby leading to substantial business outcomes.”

On 4 September, the Thailand-Korea Investment Promotion Seminar on Robotics & Automation will provide the latest information on the recent investment climate and incentives in Thailand. At the opening ceremony, Secretary General Lee Hyuk, BOI Secretary General Duangjai Asawachintachit, and ROK Ambassador to Thailand Noh Kwang-il are scheduled to deliver remarks. In the following session, there will be presentations on the topics of ‘Status, Opportunities, Incentives and Laws of Thailand Investment in the Sectors of Industrial Robots & Automation’ (by Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Deputy Secretary General of BOI), ‘Thailand 4.0 and the Robotics and Automation Industry’ (by Itichai Patamasiriwat, Deputy Director General of the Office of Industrial Economy (OIE)), and ‘Development of Robotics in Thailand’ (by Djitt Laowattana, Founding Director of the Institute of Field Robotics Development (FIBO) and Executive Advisor for the EEC). Korea’s robotics industry and globalization strategy will also be presented for the Thai entrepreneurs attending the event. The next day, the Korean delegation will have one-on-one business meetings with the Thai government officials and company representatives based on their topics of interest.

On 5 September, the Korean delegation will conduct an industrial visit to multiple local firms to learn the actual needs of their Thai counterparts. On 6 September, they will be offered an opportunity to visit the EEC, touring the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 1 & 2 and factories in Layong Province specialized for the robotics and automation industry and receiving a briefing by the WHA Corporation, which is responsible for the development of the EEC. The delegation will also visit Laem Chabang Port, the country’s major deep-sea port.

A networking dinner will take place on 4 September to bring together representatives from Korean private companies that successfully entered Thailand to share their experiences. It will also be attended by government organizations including the Korean Embassy in Bangkok and the Korean-Thai Chamber of Commerce.